We ARE alone: Despite discovering more planets, the chances of finding ET are dim

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My personal belief is that there is other life out there. Some probably more advanced than us. That little light speed thing comes into play as far as contact goes though. Even if a species had broken the light barrier, they would then have to know where to look for us, problematic with the vastness in which to search.

So far astronomers have discovered a total of 500 planets in distant solar systems – known as extrasolar systems – although they believe billions of others exist. But Dr Smith points out that many of these planets are either too close to their sun or too far away, meaning their surface temperatures are so extreme they could not support life

So we know for sure that there is at least 1 planet in the galaxy capable of supporting life. In our own solar system we have just 1 in 8 planets capable of supporting life, if you discount Pluto as a planet. However, even if the ratio of extra-solar planets capable of supporting life is 1 in a million, or even 1 in a billion, that means this galaxy is alone is teaming with life. I think the astronomer who thinks that because we've looked at 500 planets and none of them are hospitable, that somehow makes life so rare as to exist in only one place in the universe is kind of off his marble.

Originally Posted by Arroyo_Doble

I would be willing to bet American money that life exists elsewhere in this solar system (I would bank on Europa, if pressed).

Originally Posted by ironhorsedriver

My personal belief is that there is other life out there. Some probably more advanced than us. That little light speed thing comes into play as far as contact goes though. Even if a species had broken the light barrier, they would then have to know where to look for us, problematic with the vastness in which to search.

These two things, taken together actually bring an ill omen to the human race. If life is discovered elsewhere in our solar system, that means that life is at least twice as abundant as originally thought. Combine that with the fact that we haven't been welcomed or attacked, or even glanced at by space travelers, and that brings about a couple of conclusions. First, a species that had broken the light barrier somehow would most definitely know where to look for us. We are very far behind that sort of technological marvel, but even we, with our current technology can find extra-solar planets by observing the effect of their gravity on their star. Once we get to the point where we are going to try to have a go at God's speed limit, I think we'll be very adept at mapping extra-solar plants. So, our space traveler friends do have a pretty good idea of where to look, and if life is found elsewhere in this solar system, that means a couple of things. It could mean that light speed can never be obtained or broken, so generation type ships are the only way to travel the vast distances. It could also mean that along the way to breaking the light speed barrier, each intelligent species that has ever existed has run into some event that did the species in before they could travel to other planets and spread their eggs around several baskets.

Right now, since Earth is the only place we know of that life exists, we can reason that life in the universe is extremely rare, if not unique to Earth. That means that there is a chance that we can progress to inter-stellar flight without some sort of apocalypse preventing us. If we find life on Europa, for example, than the likelihood of the species survival up to the point where we can travel between the stars is very low.

"In England a king hath little more to do than to make war and give away places; which in plain terms, is to impoverish the nation and set it together by the ears. A pretty business indeed for a man to be allowed eight hundred thousand sterling a year for, and worshipped into the bargain! Of more worth is one honest man to society and in the sight of God, than all the crowned ruffians that ever lived."
—Thomas Paine, Common Sense

The truth is: we don't know. It is the sheerest arrogance to believe that out of the uncounted millions of worlds, we are the only life. Until we mature as a race, the chances are that if there are advanced races, they are waiting for us to be ready. We are children, wondering what lies beyond the end of the street. Do I know they exist? No

Do I think they are there? Yes. Will they contact us or will we meet them someday? Not for many centuries.

If there is unintelligent life outside the solar system, we will never find it.

If there is human-scale intelligence outside the solar system, we might contact it, but we could never reach each other.

I think aliens much more intelligent than humans have been running recon on us since antiquity, but they don't wish their presence to be widely known, so it's effectively the same thing as them not even being there.

Is there other life in the universe? Of course. But it's all either hidden or hiding, so there may as well not be any.

My two bits, sure to irritate a few readers. We are definately the only intelligent life in the universe. Why? Because being the only intelligent life in this vast varied universe is more evidence of God's intentional design. We keep finding more and more planets, space, ect, but the lack of intelligent life, IMHO, is further proof that we are not random chance, but purposefully and wonderfully made.

Yup, my theory depends on a lot of faith, and is difficult, if not impossible to prove scientifically. But that's fine by me. That's why it's a theory. :D

Romans 6:18 You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

Differences between Obama and God: God's plan to save us is actually written down for people to read. Rush Limbaugh.